Football blocking device

ABSTRACT

A football blocking device comprising a resilient core of organic polymeric material having front and rear faces with a recess in the front face thereof. A plastic bag surrounds the core and is stretched tautly over the recess. The core includes a plurality of exhaust passages extending from the bottom of the recess to the rear face and has handles for holding and moving the blocking device. Additionally, plastic reinforcing tubes are completely embedded within and filled with the organic polymeric material of the core.

[151 3,680,861 1 Aug. 1, 1972 United States Patent Schmidt Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Joseph E Schmidt, 4364 Barchester Assistant Examiner-Theatrice Brown Drive, Bl fi ld Hills, Mich Att0rneyMcGlynn, Reising, Milton & Ethington 48013 [54] FOOTBALL BLOCKING DEVICE [72] Inventor:

[57] ABSTRACT I A football blocking device comprising a resilient core 22 Filed: on. s, 1970 [21] Appl 781072 of organic polymeric material having front and rear faces with a recess in the front face thereof. A plastic bag surrounds the core and is stretched tautly over the [52] US. Cl. R, 273/DIG. 8 [51] Int. Cl. 67/00 .273/55 R, 55 A; 272/77 I recess. The core includes a plurality of exhaust Fleld 0f passages extending from the bottom of the recess to the rear face and has handles for holding and moving References Cited the blocking device. Additionally, plastic reinforcing UNITED STATES PATENTS tubes are completely embedded within and filled with I the organic polymeric material of the core.

3,033,151 5/1962 Sheehan......................273/55 A 3,111,317 11/1963 Cituk.......................,..273/55 A .273/55 A 16 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 3,396,969 8/1968 Rosenfeld..................

FOOTBALL BLOCKING DEVICE This invention relates to an improved football blocking device or dummy and more specifically to a football blocking device for use in the training of head or butt blocking.

In head or butt blocking, the blocker keeps his head up and straight ahead so that his face is up and he is looking directly at the object of his block. The training of this type of blocking has been difficult in the past because all blockers have not been enthusiastic about engaging a firm blocking device head-on and face up.

Accordingly, it is an object and feature of this invention to provide an improved blocking device for use in the practice of head or butt blocking.

In correlation with the foregoing object and feature, it is another object and feature of this invention to provide s'ucha blocking device which has a recess in a resilient core and a bag surrounding the core and stretched across the recess and manually graspable handle means for holding and moving the blocking device so that-team drills may be executed by moving a plurality of such blocking devices to various defensive positions as offensive blockers engage the blocking devices with their heads moving into the recesses of the blocking devices.

Another object and feature of this invention is to provide a blocking device with core within a bag and including exhaust passages extending from the bottom of the recess to the rear face to allow the exhaust of air in the recess upon contact by the blocker.

In correlation with the foregoing objects and features,it is another. object and feature of this invention to provide such a blocking device wherein the core is of organic polymeric material and at least one reinforcing member is completely embedded within the organic polymeric material of the core.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated asv the same becomes better-understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when considered in connec'tionwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front view of a preferred embodiment of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view of a preferred embodiment of the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the instant invention.

Referring now to the drawings, a football blocking device constructed in accordance with the instant invention is generally shown at 10.

The blocking device includes a resilient core 12 having front and rear faces 14 and 16 respectively. The core is made of an organic polymeric material, preferably foamed polyurethane. The core 12 includes a lower portion 18 and an upper portion 20. The lower portion 18 is thicker front to rear than the upper portion 20 and is narrower side to side than the upper portion 20. More specifically, the lower portion 18 is generally circular in cross section and the upper portion 20 is generally rectangular as viewed in plan.

There is also included a neck portion 22 which interconnects the lower and upper portions 18 and 20.

The core 12 has a recess 24 in the front face 14. Additionally, the core has a plurality of exhaust passage 26 which extend from the bottom of the recess 24 to the rear face 16. Although not necessary in all embodiments, the exhaust passages 26 are defined by metal eyelets or tubular members 28 which have flanged ends.

It will be noted that the lower wall of the' recess 24 slants downwardly from the bottom of the recess toward the front face 14 of the core.

A bag 30 surrounds the core 12 and has a portion 32 stretched tautly over the recess 24. The bag has overlapping portions generally indicated at 34 which are secured together by an appropriate means such as a rope or lacing. The bag 30 is made of a plastic material, preferably a vinyl. The bag 30 conforms to the shape of the core 12 but is not extremely tight. Manually graspable handles 34 are stitched or otherwise secured to the rear of the bag 30 for holding and moving the blocking device.

The device also includes a plurality of reinforcing members 36 disposed within the core 12. More specifically, each reinforcing member comprises a hollow plastic tube filled with the organic polymeric material of the core. The outside reinforcing tubes 36 have bends therein so as to extend upwardly through the lower portion 18 of the core and then outwardly about the recess 24 in the upper portion 20 of the core. The middle reinforcing tube merely extends upwardly through the lower portion 18 of the core and terminates adjacent the lower end of the recess 24.

The reinforcing tubes 36 as well as the metal eyelet members 28 are embedded within the core' as the organic polymeric material of the core is molded thereabout during the forming process.

The blocking device may be utilized by manually grasping the handles 34 to position the blocking device to be engaged by a blocker. When the blocker head or butt blocks, his head is up and straight and engages that portion 32 of the bag '30 which is stretched over the recess to move the portion 32 of the bag into the recess. As a result of such engagement, air is exhausted out through the exhaust passages 26 and into an area between the rear face 16 of the core and the bag 30. Some of this air, of course, may move out of the bag 30 between the overlapping joints 34 as the overlapping joints 34 are merely laced together. The reinforcing tubes 36 add rigidity to the core and resist extreme bending about a horizontal axis, yet remain flexible enough to absorb normal blows during a blocking drill.

As alluded to above, the blocking device of the instant invention is manually movable and a plurality of such blocking devices may be positioned and held by a number of individuals during a blocking exercise so that the entire line of a team may run plays by engaging the blocking devices and the blocking devices may be moved to various positions to simulate various defenses from play to play.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclulsive property or privilege is claimed are defined as folows:

l. A football blocking device comprising: a resilient one piece core having generally parallel front and rear faces, said core having a recess in said front face thereof, a bag surrounding said core and having a portion thereof stretched tautly over said recess, and manually graspable handle means for holding and moving said blocking device.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said core has at least one exhaust passage extending from the bottom of said recess to said rear face, said passage being completely surrounded by said core.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said core is made of organic polymeric material.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 including at least one reinforcing member disposed in said core.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said reinforcing member comprises a hollow tube filled with said organic polymeric material.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said tube is completely embedded in said organic polymeric material.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said organic polymeric material comprises polyurethane.

8. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said core includes a lower portion and an upper portion, said lower portion being thicker front to rear than said upper portion and narrower side to side than said upper portion, said recess being disposed in said upper portion, and including a plurality of said tubes, said tubes being made of plastic and said bag being made of plastic, at least some of said tubes being disposed to extend generally upwardly from said lower portion and into said upper portion.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said lower portion is circular in cross section and said upper portion is generally rectangular in plan, and including a neck portion interconnecting said 10. A football blocking deice comprising: a resilient one piece core having generally parallel front and rear faces, said core having a recess in said front face thereof, said core having at least one passage extending from the bottom of said recess to said rear face, said passage being completely surrounded by said core and a material stretched tautly over said recess.

11. A device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said material is defined by a bag surrounding said core.

12. A device as set forth in claim 10 including at least one reinforcing member disposed in said core.

13. A device as set forth in claim 12 wherein said core is made of organic polymeric material and said reinforcing member comprises a hollow tube completely embedded within and filled with said organic polymeric material.

14. A football blocking device comprising: a one piece core having a blocking face, said core having a recess in said face, said recess having a bottom and wall means extending from said bottom to said face and completely surrounding said bottom, a bag surrounding said core and stretched over said recess, at least the portio i of said bag stretched over said recess being suficlen y lmpervlous to air to cause the movement 0 air when moved rapidly into said recess, said core having at least one passage extending from said bottom of said recess completely through said core to the rear thereof whereby air may pass from said recess to the rear of said core as said bag is moved into said recess, said passage being completely surrounded by said core.

15. A device as set forth in claim 14 wherein said core is at least in part generally rectangular in configuration.

16. A device as set forth in claim 15 wherein said wall means includes four walls and said bottom is four sided with pairs of parallel sides.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CETIFICATE or Patent No. 3,680, 861 Dated August 1 1972 Inventor(s) Joseph P. Schmidt It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 2 "passage" should be --passages.,

Column 4, line 3 after "said" insert -upper and lower por tions.--; line 4 "deice" should be --device--'-.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of January 1973.

' (SEAL) Attest I EDWARD M. PLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC 6O376-P59 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I959 0-366-334 

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said core has at least one exhaust passage extending from the bottom of said recess to said rear face, said passage being completely surrounded by said core.
 3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said core is made of organic polymeric material.
 4. A device as set forth in claim 3 including at least one reinforcing member disposed in said core.
 5. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said reinforcing member comprises a hollow tube filled with said organic polymeric material.
 6. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said tube is completely embedded in said organic polymeric material.
 7. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said organic polymeric material comprises polyurethane.
 8. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said core includes a lower portion and an upper portion, said lower portion being thicker front to rear than said upper portion and narrower side to side than said upper portion, said recess being disposed in said upper portion, and including a plurality of said tubes, said tubes being made of plastic and said bag being made of plastic, at least some of said tubes being disposed to extend generally upwardly from said lower portion and into said upper portion.
 9. A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said lower portion is circular in cross section and said upper portion is generally rectangular in plan, and including a neck portion interconnecting said
 10. A football blocking deice comprising: a resilient one piece core having generally parallel front and rear faces, said core having a recess in said front face thereof, said core having at least one passage extending from the bottom of said recess to said rear face, said passage being completely surrounded by said core and a material stretched tautly over said recess.
 11. A device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said material is defined by a bag surrounding said core.
 12. A device as set forth in claim 10 including at least one reinforcing member disposed in said core.
 13. A device as set forth in claim 12 wherein said core is made of organic polymeric material and said reinforcing member comprises a hollow tube completely embedded within and filled with said organic polymeric material.
 14. A football blocking device comprising: a one piece core having a blocking face, said core having a recess in said face, said recess having a bottom and wall means extending from said bottom to said face and completely surrounding said bottom, a bag surrounding said core and stretched over said recess, at least the portion of said bag stretched over said recess being sufficiently impervious to air to cause the movement of air when moved rapidly into said recess, said core having at least one passage extending from said bottom of said recess completely through said core to the rear thereof whereby air may pass from said recess to the rear of said core as said bag is moved into said recess, said passage being completely surrounded by said core.
 15. A device as set forth in claim 14 wherein said core is at least in part generally rectangular in configuration.
 16. A device as set forth in claim 15 wherein said wall means includes four walls and said bottom is four sided with pairs of parallel sides. 